Introduction

Teaching Vocabulary is an essential part of every English teacher’s professional development. While many educators are familiar with classroom practices, they may not always know the specific terminology commonly used in ESL/EFL contexts, teacher training courses, methodology books, and international certifications.

Understanding this professional vocabulary can help teachers communicate more effectively, plan lessons with greater confidence, participate in professional development programs, and better understand modern teaching methodologies.

Whether you are a new teacher, an experienced educator, or preparing for exams such as TKT or CELTA, this glossary will help you expand your professional language and teaching knowledge.

If you enjoy professional development materials, don’t forget to explore other resources available in our Teacher Resources section.

How to Use This Glossary

This glossary was created to help English teachers better understand the terminology commonly used in ESL/EFL contexts.

Each entry includes:

• The term in English and its translation into Portuguese.
• A clear definition in English.
• A detailed explanation in Portuguese.
• Practical examples with translations.
• Pronunciation support through the Cambridge Dictionary.
• Teaching tips and common mistakes, when applicable.

Use this glossary as a reference guide during lesson planning, teacher training, or professional development.

CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

Sentence Stem

Português: Início estruturado de frase.

Definition (English)

A sentence stem is a partially completed sentence provided to students to support speaking or writing.

Definição (Português)

Um sentence stem é uma frase parcialmente pronta fornecida aos alunos para apoiar a produção oral ou escrita.

Examples

I think that online classes are effective.
(Eu acho que as aulas online são eficazes.)

In my opinion, students should read more.
(Na minha opinião, os alunos deveriam ler mais.)

Pronunciation

Search for “sentence stem” in the Cambridge Dictionary.

Teacher Tip

Sentence stems are especially useful for lower-level learners because they provide linguistic scaffolding.

Sentence Frame

Português: Estrutura completa de frase.

Definition (English)

A sentence frame provides students with a more complete structure than a sentence stem.

Definição (Português)

Um sentence frame oferece uma estrutura mais completa para apoiar a produção linguística.

Example

I believe that ______ because ______.
(Eu acredito que ______ porque ______.)

Teacher Tip

Sentence frames are particularly useful for beginners.

Prompt

Português: Estímulo, proposta ou comando.

Definition (English)

A prompt is a question, image, situation, or instruction designed to elicit language from students.

Example

Describe your ideal vacation.
(Descreva suas férias ideais.)

Teacher Tip

Prompts are widely used in speaking and writing activities.

Cue

Português: Pista ou dica.

Definition (English)

A cue is a piece of information that helps students remember or produce language.

Example

Use the cue cards to ask questions.
(Use os cartões com pistas para fazer perguntas.)

Teacher Tip

Cue cards are excellent resources for communicative activities.

Word Bank

Português: Banco de palavras.

Definition (English)

A word bank is a list of vocabulary items provided to support students during an activity.

Example

Students may use the word bank during the writing task.
(Os alunos podem usar o banco de palavras durante a atividade escrita.)

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

Scaffolding

Português: Andaimento pedagógico ou suporte gradual.

Definition (English)

Scaffolding refers to temporary support provided to students to help them perform tasks they cannot yet complete independently.

Example

Sentence stems are a form of scaffolding.
(Os sentence stems são uma forma de suporte pedagógico.)

Teacher Tip

Effective scaffolding gradually decreases as learners become more independent.

Eliciting

Português: Elicitação.

Definition (English)

Eliciting is the process of encouraging students to produce language instead of simply giving them the answers.

Example

The teacher elicited the grammar rule from the class.
(O professor levou a turma a descobrir a regra gramatical.)

Teacher Tip

Eliciting increases student participation and engagement.

Modeling

Português: Modelagem.

Definition (English)

Modeling means demonstrating exactly what students are expected to do.

Example

The teacher modeled the activity before students started working.
(O professor demonstrou a atividade antes de os alunos começarem.)

Guided Practice

Português: Prática guiada.

Definition (English)

Guided practice is a stage in which students practise a skill with teacher support.

Example

Students completed the exercise with teacher guidance.
(Os alunos completaram o exercício com orientação do professor.)

Independent Practice

Português: Prática independente.

Definition (English)

Independent practice occurs when students complete tasks without significant teacher support.

Example

Students worked independently to write a paragraph.
(Os alunos trabalharam de forma independente para escrever um parágrafo.)

ACTIVITY TYPES

Task

Português: Tarefa.

Definition (English)

A task is a meaningful activity in which learners use language to achieve a communicative goal.

Example

Students planned a holiday itinerary in groups.
(Os alunos planejaram um roteiro de viagem em grupos.)

Exercise

Português: Exercício.

Definition (English)

An exercise usually focuses on practising specific language items, such as grammar or vocabulary.

Example

Complete the exercise using the simple past tense.
(Complete o exercício usando o passado simples.)

Worksheet

Português: Folha de atividades.

Definition (English)

A worksheet is a printed or digital document containing activities for students.

Drill

Português: Repetição controlada.

Definition (English)

A drill is a controlled repetition activity designed to improve accuracy and pronunciation.

Example

Students repeated the sentences several times.
(Os alunos repetiram as frases várias vezes.)

Role-play

Português: Dramatização.

Definition (English)

Role-play is an activity in which students act out real-life situations.

Example

Students role-played a restaurant conversation.
(Os alunos dramatizaram uma conversa em um restaurante.)

ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK

Assessment

Português: Avaliação.

Definition (English)

Assessment is the process of collecting information about student learning.

Quiz

Português: Questionário ou teste curto.

Definition (English)

A quiz is a short assessment used to check understanding.

Rubric

Português: Rubrica avaliativa.

Definition (English)

A rubric is a scoring guide used to evaluate student performance.

Feedback

Português: Devolutiva ou feedback.

Definition (English)

Feedback is information provided to learners about their performance.

Correction

Português: Correção.

Definition (English)

Correction refers to identifying and addressing student errors.

Answer Key

Português: Gabarito.

Definition (English)

An answer key contains the correct answers for an activity or assessment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS AND CLASSROOM TERMINOLOGY

Reading Comprehension

Português: Compreensão de leitura.

Definition (English)

Reading comprehension refers to the ability to understand written texts.

Example

This worksheet focuses on reading comprehension.
(Esta folha de atividades trabalha compreensão de leitura.)

Listening Comprehension

Português: Compreensão auditiva.

Definition (English)

Listening comprehension refers to understanding spoken language.

Fluency

Português: Fluência.

Definition (English)

Fluency is the ability to communicate smoothly and naturally.

Accuracy

Português: Precisão linguística.

Definition (English)

Accuracy refers to producing language correctly.

Skill

Português: Habilidade.

Definition (English)

A skill is an ability developed through practice and learning.

Ability

Português: Capacidade.

Definition (English)

Ability refers to a person’s natural or acquired capacity to perform something.

COMMON TERMINOLOGY MISTAKES TEACHERS MAKE

Reading Comprehension × Reading and Comprehension

Many teachers write:

❌ Reading and Comprehension

However, the preferred pedagogical term is:

✅ Reading Comprehension

“Reading comprehension” is a fixed expression that refers specifically to the skill of understanding written texts.

“Reading and Comprehension” suggests two separate abilities and is rarely used as a title in educational materials.

Task × Exercise

A task focuses on meaning and communication.

An exercise focuses on practising language forms.

Error × Mistake

A mistake is usually a performance slip that the learner can self-correct.

An error reflects incomplete knowledge and requires instruction.

Ability × Skill

Ability refers to capacity.

Skill refers to a learned competence developed through practice.

Teach × Instruct

Although both verbs are correct, “teach” is considerably more common in everyday educational contexts.

Additional Essential Terms

Teachers may also encounter the following terms:

• Chunk
• Graphic Organizer
• Exit Ticket
• Anchor Chart
• Think-Pair-Share
• Cloze Activity

These terms frequently appear in methodology books and teacher training courses.

For more professional development materials, explore our Teacher Resources section regularly.

Conclusion

Developing a solid understanding of teaching vocabulary is an important step in every English teacher’s professional journey.

By mastering essential ESL terminology, teachers can improve lesson planning, communicate more effectively with colleagues, better understand methodology books, and participate more confidently in international teacher training programs.

Remember that professional development is a continuous process. Save this glossary, revisit it whenever necessary, and continue expanding your pedagogical knowledge.

Explore more professional development content in our blog MyenglandBlog and keep growing as an educator.

FAQ